Power unit



5 Sheets-Sheet l March 12, 1935. c. E. PETERSON POWER UNIT Filed Jan.14, 1953 Bl e N.. Hl.' w NN. uw TUN W www mm ww m N MN m mm mm m NN AW HIl Hww m f. W E f Nm N w. U w l. E /ll\ .im H .l l RVH/: ::Z: NMM IV\V1W www l 5&7 ww ,H 4 H Mv QN l ,o NM um. ww m mg f mm. .MTN Li NQ mm.MN. N mw mm. mm um N um. um. mm mf u In V* I. l lmdwwu 1, m1--/,iw,\--:.blvw\ @wie N\\ ILJW/ mi N www@ WMVWM March l2, 1935. l

C. E, PETERSON `POWER' UNIT Filed Jan. 14, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 March12,1935. c. E. PETERSON I POWER UNIT Filed Jan; 14, 1935 5 sheets-sheet4 INVENTOR BY auf Zvw ATTQNQYS? March 12, `1935.

c. E. PETERSON yPOWER UNIT Filed Jan; 14, 195s Patented Mar. 12, 1935UNITED STATES PATE-NT UFFICI?.

l4' Claims.

This invention relates to power units, and has for its object to providea device which may be attached at will to a variety of tools and otherinstrumentalities to operate the same.

In general, the invention comprises a frame upon which are mounted: (1)a prime mover, preferably an electric motor; (2) a right-and-leftthreaded worin vdriven 'by the prime mover; (3) a traversing carriagedriven by the worm and provided with means for attaching it oroperatively connecting Vit toa tool or other instrumentality; (e)automatic means for reversing the direction of movement of the carriage.In its preferred forms,`the unit will be portable and adapted to be heldby an operator while in use;

orit may be secured to a fixed support, such as a work bench, or to awheeledtrack. To Afacilitate mounting the unit upon a vfixed or wheeledsupport, specially formed attachment' means upon the unit .willcooperate with ,correspondingly formed clamps or the like, which may beattached to the support. v f

The traversing carriage may be directly attached to a tool or to areciprocating part of a machine; or, by means of a crank connection orits equivalent, the unit may be employed to produce rotary motions.

Various detailed features of construction, contributing to theeffectiveness` ofamy improved power unit, will be pointed out inthefollowing specification and claims.Y 1

In the drawings, two illustrative embodiments ofthe unit are shown,together with a lfew examples, chosen from many, of ways in which theunit may be employed to produce useful motion.

Figure l is a side elevation of one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the vsame embodiment, ona larger scale, themotor andA supporting bracket being omitted.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary horizontal section, showing the traversingcarriage and a stop member.

Figure 4 is another view like Figure 3, but with the carriage and stopin a different space relation.

Figure 5 is a vertical section of the partsshown in Figures 3 and 4, inthe relation shown in Figure 4. 4

Figure 6 is a cross-section on the line 6--6r of Figure 2. L

Figure 7 is a cross-section on the line 7-7 of Figure 2. v

Figure 8 is a detail member, on a largerV scale.

in perspective of a clutch (Cl. 'I4-57) Figure 9 is a detail inperspective of a clutch sleeve, on the s arney scale as Figure 8.

FigurelO is a detail in perspective of a bearing plate for springs, onthe same scale as Figures 8 and 9. y

Figure 11 is a longitudinal section of another embodiment `of the powerunit, the motor being omitted. y y

Figure 12 is a cross-section on the line 12--12 of Figure 11.v V A fFigure 13 is a cross-section on the line 13-13 of Figure 11.

Figure 14 is a cross-section, partly broken oit, on the linerl-ll vofFigure 11.

Figure 15is a View showing the carriage in side elevation, parts of theframe being broken off.

Figure 16 isa side elevation of an arrangement for producing rotarymotion, as in the meat grinder shown.

Figure 1 7 is an end elevation of the same de- Figure 18 is a View inside elevationk showing the power unit mounted upon a truck and with asaw attached tothe traversing carriage.

Figure 19 is an end elevation of the same.

Figure. 2 0 is a horizontal section on the line 20--20 of Figure 19. y'Figure 21 is a view in side elevation showing the unit applied to apump-of conventional design. Y

Figure 22 is a detail on a larger scale at right angles to Figure`21, ofthe supporting bracket for the unit.

Figure 23 is a plan View of the arrangement shown in Figure 21,the motorbeing omitted.

Referring now to the embodiment shown in Figures Y1 to 10: 1 is acylinder, preferably of metal, which serves as a housing for certain or"the operating parts, and constitutes the supporting frame of the unit.The cylinder has a longitudinal slot 2 (Figure 6) at the bottom,extending from end to end, and at the top a flange 3, which serves as anattaching means. 4 designates the adjacent portion of any suitable formof supporting bracket, which has a slotted enlargement 5 adapted to slipendwise on tol flange 3 and to slide into any desired position along thecylinder. As will appear in connection with the description of specicapplications ofl the device hereinafter, ange 3 and slotted enlargementv5 represent a standardized attachment which permits the unit to beinterchangeably mounted in various places and for various purposes. f

Ysimilarly attached to cylinder 1 is Va motor 6,A

having a two-speed pulley 7 and a handle 8. Bottom flange 9 of the motoris secured to a slotted attaching plate 10, similar in shape toenlargement 5 and similarly engaged with flange 3.

At each end of cylinder 1 an end plate 11 or 12 is inserted and held inplace by radial screws 13 (Figure 2). A handle 14 is carried by endplate 12 and, with handle 8, facilitates transporting the unit orholding it during use.

End plates 11 and 12 are centrally perforated to provide bearings forreduced portions 15, 16 of worm 17. At one end worm 17 carries atwospeed pulley 18, which is connected by belt 19 to motor pulley 7. Theworm is provided with right-and-left or oppositely pitched threadsv 20,21, the pitch of which will, of course, be chosen in accordance withreference to the requirements of speed and load for the uses intended.

The traversing carriage is generally designata ed 22. It comprises abody of U-shaped crosssection, open at the top, with segmental sidewalls 23, 23. outwardly, the body conforms to the inner wall of cylinder1, within which it freely slides. Depending from bodyA 22 is anattachment flange 24, which projects through slot 2 and has lateralgrooves 25 to receive corresponding Iianges on attachment membershereinafter mentioned. The engagement of fiange 24 with slot 2 alsoprevents the carriage lfrom turning in cylinder 1 under the influence ofthe driving torque. Near each end, segmental walls 23 are grooved at 26to receive flanged closure plates 27, which may have depending lugs 28through which screws 29 pass into body 22. Plates 27 have centralshouldered apertures 30 through which worm 17 passes; and additionalapertures 31 and 32 (Figure 6), whose purpose will be described later.

A pair of oppositely presented traversing nuts 33, 34., (separatelyshown in Figure 8,) embrace worm 17 between plates 27, 27. At theirouter ends, these nuts are shouldered to t abuttingly in apertures 39 ofplates 27, and at their inner ends the nuts abut against each other.-Thus thenuts are confined between plates 27, but with sullicientlooseness to permit one of them, when idling, to turn relatively to theclosure plate and to the other nut. Each nut is provided with onewayclutch teeth on its inner axial surface. internally, each nut has aspiral spline 36 which conforms to and engages one of the threads uponworm 17, being of a length sufficient to bridge the gaps in the threadwhere the threads cross. The left-hand nut 33 is shown in Figure 8, andthis nut will engage worm-thread 20, being traversed, when held againstrotation, to the left or right, depending upon the direction in whichthe worm is rotated. Similarly, the right-hand nut 34 engages thread 21and is traversed oppositely to nut 33; it being understood that only oneof the nuts is held against rotation at one time, the other then idling.

A shiftable clutch sleeve 37 is telescopically mounted upon the innerreduced portions of nuts 33, 34, and is provided on its axial faces withoppositely presented teeth 38, complementary to teeth 35 on thetraversing nuts. The length of sleeve 37 is such that it can be invtoothed engagement with only one of the nuts at a time, the other nutthen rotating within the sleeve.

Projecting upwardly from the sleeve are spaced lugs 39 havingtransversely elongated apertures 40. A latch member 41, comprising sidebars 42 and cross bars 43, rests loosely in apertures 40 and projectsbeyond the carriage in both directions through apertures 31 in theclosure plates 27. Side bars 42 are of springy material and have lateralnotches 44, one pair of which is adapted to engage closure plate 27,when seated therein, and to be released therefrom when the outer ends ofthe side bars are forced together, as hereinafter described. As shown inFigure 3, the right-hand notches are in latching engagement with theadjacent closure plate, while the left-hand notches are inoperative withrespect to their closure plate. In Figure 4 the righthand notches havebeen released and forced inwardly, whereas the left-hand notches are inposition to engage.

Upon each side bar 42, between the cross bars, there is wound acompression spring 45 and H- shaped bearing plates 45 are insertedbetween the ends of the springs and cross bars 43. The arms of thebearing plates embrace the side bars 42 and are adapted to slide alongthe side bars, inwardly from cross bars 43 but not outwardly. Thus, inthe position shown in Figure 14, latch 41 having been shifted to theleft with respect to sleeve 37, the right-hand bearing plate 46 has beenlifted from right-hand lug 39, compressing springs 45 against theleft-hand bearing plate and lug. Y

Integral with or rigidly secured to sleeve 37 on each side are bars 47which project through apertures in closure slides 27. These bars preventthe sleeve 37 from turning in the carriage; they also serve as emergencyor safety shift members in case the normal shifting mechanism shouldfail to function.

On the under side of sleeve 37 is a protuberance 48 to which is secured,as by screws 49, a spring latch 50. The latch projects through apertures32 in slides 27 and is notched at 51, 51, whereby the latch may engagealternately with slides 27 as sleeve 37 shifts back and forth.

Cooperating with the latch members hereinbefore described are stops 52,conforming to the inner wall of cylinder 1, and provided with axialflanges 53 to increase the area of contact. The ange is thickened at 54and has a radial threaded bore 55 which receives stem 56`of wing nut 57.An arcuate clamp 58 bridges slot 2 of cylinder 1, and a lock nut 59 isalso provided. Stops 52 may be shifted to any desired positions alongcylinder 1, and secured in place by means of clamps 52. The purpose ofthis arrangement will be described later. On the inner faces of stops 52are double cams 60, coacting with latch 41 and cams 6l, coacting withlatch 50.

The operation of the embodiment described above is as follows: The motorbeing started, worm 17 will rotate continuously in one direction untilthe motor is stopped. In the position shown in Figures 2 and 3, sleeveIS7-engages nut 34 and holds it against rotation, the sleeve being heldagainst rotation in the carriage by bars 47 and the carriage being heldagainst rotation in cylinder 1 by attachment flange 24 projectingthrough slot 2. Nut 34 is engaged with thread 21 on the worm, and theworm is assumed to be rotating in the direction which will drive nut 34and the carriage to the right, nut 33 in the meantime being idlealthough rotating with the worm. Y

As the carriage approaches right-hand stop 52 (Figure 4), the ends ofside bars 52 will impinge upon cam 60 and will be forced together,releasing the side bars from their latched engagement with closure plate27. The movement of the carriage will continue in the same direction,since vco latch 50 ystill holds sleeve 3.7 .in .engagement with nut 34.As the movement of :the carriage. continues, latch 41 abuts against stop52 and springs 45 are compressed until latch 50 reaches cam`61,whichreleases this latch, and sleeve 37 is shifted to the left by theaccumulated pressureof springs 45. This throws the sleeve intoengagement with nut 33 andthecarriage begins to travelin the oppositedirection. The shifting of ysleeve 37 to the lefthas now engaged thelatches 41 and 50 with the left-hand closure plateV 27. Bars 47, .asidefrom their previously mentioned .function of preventing the sleeve fromturning, serveas a safety means to positively shift the sleeveout. ofengagement with the traversing nutandprevent the device from jamming, intheevent that springs 45 fail to throw the sleeve over.

vIt will be seen that the carriage is caused to reciprocate, carryingwith `it the attachment flange 24, to which maybe secured a tool orother instrumentality, examples of which will be given hereinafter.Byadjusting either or both of the stops 52 along the frame, any desiredlength of movement may be obtained, and this movement maybe centered atany desired ,positionr along the frame,

Referring now to Figures 11 to 15, in which a inodiiedform of the powerunit is shown, .the frame in this instance comprises atop rail andsiderails 101which are held in spaced'reH lation by end plates 102, 103.At intervals.; the structuremay be strengthened by straps 1042 of rigidmaterial, and cover plates 105 maybe added to protect thewerkinirparts.V

-The carri-age 122 is a U-shaped frame having circular end walls 127 andterminating at the bottom in a preferably integral attachment fiange124. The end walls have central apertures 130 through which worm 117passes and additional apertures 131 and 132 to receive the latch membershereinafter referred to. Laterally, the end walls have recesses in whichare seated channeled rail-engaging members 110, by means of which thecarriage is supported upon 'and guided along the rails in its movement.Traversing nuts 133, 134 do not differ materially from those previouslydescribed. Clutch sleeve 137 has lateral longitudinal channels 138 whichengage and are guided by channeled members 110. As in the formerembodiment, lugs 139 rise from the top of sleeve 137, but in thisinstance the lugs are provided withr open notches 140 in which seatslatch 141 with its springs 145 and spring bearing plates 146. A strip147 across the top of the carriage provides anchorage for leaf spring148, which bears down upon latch 141. Beneath sleeve 137 is a shorterlatch 150 which has ears 151 pivotally confined between trunnion lugs152 on the sleeve. Spring 153, secured to the carriage, bears upwardlyagainst latch 150.

The cams 154, 154e, which coact with the latches 141 and 150,respectively, at the right end of the movement, are shown attached tothe end plate 103. This is a permissible simplication provided anadjustable stop be provided at the other end of the movement. Such astop 155 is shown inFigures 11 and 12. A plate 156 carries cams 157 and158. Upper and lower clamp members, 159, 160, have hooked portions161'which embrace the rails 101 and are adapted to be clamped againstthem. The upper clamp 159 has two bars 161a projecting downwardlythrough bores in lower clamp 160. bridge member 162 joins the lower endso-f the bars and has a threadedaperture throughwhich screw 163i ypasses:to bear against clamp V160. When the screw is tightened upper clamp 159is drawnpdownwardly, and lower clamp is forced upwardly, clamping therails andholdins the stop'in place.

The operation of this embodiment does not dii-fer materially' from `thatpreviously described. Latch 141 is longer than .latch 150, and isreleasedrst atv the end of ythe movement of the carriage." As themovement continues, spring 1 45 is compressed until latch 1.50 isreleased, whereupon the clutch sleeve is thrown over into engagementwith ythe other traversing nut.

The kpower unit may be employed in various ways, of which a fewexampleslwill be given.

In Figuresl and 17 is shown an arrangement for producing rotary motion,as in driving a meat grinder, for example. Upon a support 20),such as akitchen table, a meat grinder 201I of convent-ionalform is clamped inthe usual manner. i'The grinder is provided with a crank arm 202, fromwhich vthe usual hand grip. has been removed. To, the same support isaffixed a bracket 203 by means of a clamping device 20e. The bracket hasan overhanging arm 205, the end 206 of which is apertured. Aligned withthe aperture mentioned is another aperturel at the peint 207, theseapertures constituting bearings for the pintles oa 'votre 208which hashorizontal ledges 209 `forming channels adapted to receive the danses 3on cylinder l of the power unit.k The unit .is thus supported upon Vahori- Zontal axisv permitting iwi-...to rock. `The,attaclrlment flange24 of the traversing carriage (previously described) carries a channeledblock 210 from which projects a stud 211. The stud provides means forpivotally attaching o-ne end of a drive bar 212, the other end of whichvis pivotally secured to crank arm 202 of the grinder. A tension spring213 is secured at one end to block 210 and at the other end to dependingarmv214 of bracket 203. A fork 215, secured to cylinder 1, straddlesdrive bar 212 and prevents it from buckling while pushing.

The operation is as follows: The cam stops previously described, andrepresented in Figure 16 by clamps 58, must be carefully adjusted so asto stop and reverse the carriage at points corresponding to the extremeright and left positions of crank arm 202. 4As shown, the carriage andcrank arm have reached their extreme right positions, and it is assumedthat the clutch within the unit has shifted so as to cause the carrageto move to the left. In this position the right end of cylinder 1 isheld down, as shown in full lines, so that the point vof attachment ofbar 212 tostud 211 is below the dead center line vof crank arm 202. Asthe carriage moves leftward, bar 212 will pull crank arm 202 downwardlyand leftwardly, thus rotating the grinder. When spring 213 has passedthrough its central vertical position it will exert its pull upon thecylinder to the left of its pivotal axis and l otally mounted the sleeveportion 225 of a channeled yoke 226. As will vloe understood fromprevious descriptions, yoke 226 is adapted to receive and carry thepower unit by engagement with the attaching flange 3. The travellingcarriage in the example shown is attached to a saw 227.

In Figures 21 to 23, the unit is shown applied to a pump 240 of usualdesign. A bracket 241, secured to the pump by means of clamps 242, 243,has its upper end channeled at 244 to receive ange 3 of cylinder 1. Thehandle of the pump is removed and the plunger 245 connected directly toattachment flange 24 of the power unit.

Many other applications of the device may be readily conceived, withrespect to both the tools and instrumentalities to be operated, and tothe mountings of the unit.

I claim:

1. A power unit comprising in combination a frame, a right-and-leftworm'mounted for rotation in the frame, means for driving the worm,traversing nuts engaging the right and left threads of the worm,respectively, a reciprocable carriage guided by the frame andtraversable by each of said nuts, a clutch sleeve mounted upon said Wormbetween said nuts and shiftable into engagement with either of said nutsto hold the latter against rotation, and stops on each side of saidcarriage in the path of said clutch sleeve for arresting the movement ofsaid sleeve to shift it from the engaged nut to the other nut.

2. A power unit comprising in combination a frame, aright-and-left wormmounted for rotation in the frame, means for driving the worm,traversing nuts engaging the right and left threads of the worm,respectively, arreciprocable carriage guided by the frame andtraversable by each of said nuts, a clutch sleeve mounted upon said wormbetween saidl nuts and shiftable into engagement with either of saidnuts to hold the latter against rotation, a shifter bar reciprocablymounted upon said sleeve and projecting beyond said carriage on eachside thereof, means yieldably opposing longitudinal movement of said barin either direction, stops on each side of said carriage in the path ofsaid bar, a latch postively preventing the clutch sleeve from shifting,and means releasing said latch after the movement of said shifter barhas been arrested by the respective stop.

3. A power unit according to claim 2 in which the latch has oppositelypresented notches which respectively, according to the direction oftravel, engage corresponding elements of the carriage, and the latchreleasing means comprises a stop on each side of the carriageV in thepath of the latch.

4. A power unit according to claim 2 in which the clutch sleeve isprovided with longitudinally spaced lugs which guidingly engage theshifter bar, and a compression spring is conned between spaced stopmembers carried by said shifter bar, said stop members being disposedinwardly with respectto said lugs and being shiftableinwardly, but notoutwardly, relative to said shifter bar. v

CARL EINAR PETERSON.

